Thursday, May 31, 2018

Daniel Seichepine, assistant professor of psychology and neuropsychology,听听reporter Mike Cronin about the physiological and biological changes triggered by drug use. Seichepine says heroin can actually change the brain, which poses real challenges for users during recovery.

"What happens from the [user's]听perspective is they have this intense craving to get back to that normal level," Seichepine says. "That influences their recovery and their desire to keep using the drug now that they're听in a permanently different state in the brain."

A clinical neuropsychologist, much of Seichepine's research has been around dementia. He says research has听shown听that the long-term use of heroin听leads to similar brain changes as Alzheimer's disease.

Interested in exploring neurological conditions like addiction, dementia and mood disorders?